Another Flea Market Book Haul!!

Today my mom and I drove out to the Oldsmar Flea Market to trade in some old books we did not plan on keeping, most of which were my Grams. Been doing some early Spring cleaning and preparing for an upcoming Garage Sale, so in the process we all decided to clean up our bookshelves and trade in some books we had no interest in holding on to. 

Plus, my sister and I need to make room on our bookshelves, so of course we can buy more books. Which is exactly what we did, we traded in books just to return home with more. :D

Now let's take a quick look at some of the new books we have welcomed into our home! 

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The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) by: Michael Scott

Rot & Ruin by: Jonathan Maberry

Me Before You by: Jojo Moyes 

Now I'll Tell You Everything by: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Allegiant by: Veronica Roth

The Testing by: Joelle Charbonneau

Published by: K&C

Review: Crown of Midnight by: Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Length: 418 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

My Review:

Rating:

Wow...another jaw-dropping book by Sarah J. Maas! She is a remarkable author and has delivered an amazing sequel to her Bestselling novel Throne of Glass. She has a great way of developing the world of Adarlan so it feels as if your living the story with the characters. Its remarkably easy to imagine the world and all the battles that Celaena and her companions find themselves in. To me that is what makes a book, you have to be able to feel part of the world for it to be an EPIC story. 

I found myself engrossed in this story once again from the very first page. It picks up shortly after Celaena wins the competition becoming the King's Champion, so it felt as if no time went by. Which made it much easier to pick up where I had left off. 

This time there is no competition, yet Celaena keeps finding trouble for herself among the castle walls. There are so many mysteries within those walls and Celaena manages to stumble upon all of them. She is tasked with discovering the King's true power, however at first she refuses, not wanting to risk the ones she loves. (Like Chaol!!) But once tragedy strikes close to home she has no choice but to uncover the mysteries that lie beneath the castle. 

I love the mystery that Sarah J. Maas twists into her stories. They are so subtle at first that sometimes you almost miss them and sometimes once you discover the truth you find it's only another lie. The way she weaves such a miraculous mystery together is amazing! She keeps you guessing from beginning to end. One of the mysteries we discover is that some magic still exists in Adarlan, it has all been snuffed out by the King and he knows it. What is the Kings end game?

“I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will alwayscare what happens.”

I was so excited to see the relationship among Celaena and Chaol blossom. I had been waiting for that since book one, yet of course that relationship met it's end shortly after it began. However, I have high hopes that we will see more of them together in future books. 

“It’s never made any difference to me when it came to you. I’d still pick you. I’ll always pick you.” 

I can't wait to get my hands on book 3, Heir of Fire! I may have to cave and finally buy it from Book Outlet, its been sitting in my cart for two weeks now. I mean honestly I don't know what I'm waiting for, this series is amazing!! I am ready to see what kind of mysteries Celaena is going to discover while on her mission in Wendlyn for the King. And is Chaol going to come find her now that he's discovered her true identity?

Published by: K

Review: The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

The Infinite Sea

By: Rick Yancey

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Length: 320 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

My Review:

Rating:

Another gripping page-turner!!

Absolutely loved this sequel. We all know most sequels are never as good as the first book, but Rick Yancey did a great job making this book just as captivating as book one!!

OMG...Rick Yancey is a phenomenal writer, I was sucked right into this story just like I was with The 5th Wave. The book started out a bit slow, but after a couple of pages I was engulfed in the amazing story Rick Yancey has developed. This book is quite a bit shorter than The 5th Wave, which of course I was a bit disappointed about, but now that I have finished it I think it was just the right length. The end leaves you ready for the final installment, The Last Star. A cliffhanger that keeps you guessing and ready for more!

All the events that took place developed during a short period of time as well. While one character was trapped in a new Camp Haven the other characters where planning their escape from a run-down hotel. Also, the first book focused mostly on Cassie, while this book centered more around Ringer. I had hoped for more of Cassie, but I came to really enjoy read about Ringer. I loved getting to read more about her character, we didn't get to see much of her in book one. I wasn't a big fan of hers throughout the first book, but now that has changed. I am really rooting for her character in book three.

Ringer and Razor are quite the pair...I loved their witty conversations as she was laid up in a hospital bed after Vosch injected her with "the hub." She has been upgraded into a stronger human-being, which I found quite interesting a definitely did not see coming. Way to turn the story all around on us Mr. Yancey. ;) I can't wait to see what happens to these two amazing characters. The end of the book definitely leaves you guessing as to what might come next for these two. 

Rick Yancey really knows how to develop characters we can fall in love with. 

Of course the invincible Evan is still alive...Thank God!! I love his character. He and Cassie are perfect together and I can't wait to read more of them in The Last Star! Of course...like Evan fashion he had me a bit worried during this book, but he surprised us once again! :D

This book answers quite a few of the questions book one left us with, however it only brings up new questions that I can't wait to have answered. Where are the aliens if not in the "infected?" What is their true agenda? Are they really aliens or is something else going on here?

And the big question, why do they really need these advanced humans? What secrets do they have?

May cannot get here soon enough. I'm so excited for my birthday month this year, just so I can get this book!! I have to know how everything ends. If you haven't read this series you definitely should. It is an amazing story, that really pulls you in from page one. 

Hmmm....what should I read next while I wait? :)

Published by: K

Friday Finds #4

FRIDAY FINDS showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased). This is hosted by ShouldBeReading!

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With the new year we have made it a goal to try and be more active on our blog. Last year we went too many weeks between posts, so this year we are going to strive to have more posts! And read more books for sure! :) 

Now let's get to the new books we have added to our to-read list and we added quite a few books!

Click on the cover to be redirected to the books Goodreads page.

Currently Reading: The Infinite Sea

Published by: K&C

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave

By: Rick Yancey

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Length: 457 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

My Review: 

Rating:

"But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield."

OMG...this book was absolutely amazing!! I didn't think I would ever find another extraterrestrial related book that could compare to Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux Series. But this book is right up there with that series, it had me hooked from the very beginning. I did not want to put the book down for anything. I would find myself reaching for it between calls at work just so I could see what was going to happen next. It had me drawn in from the very first page!! :D 

Rick Yancey is an amazing author, he did an amazing job describing the world Cassie, Ben, Sammy and Evan find themselves in after the Others arrive and begin the Waves that destroyed the planet. As your reading, you find yourself engulfed in the book as if you are really there experiencing the story with the characters. He really had a way of bringing each Wave alive has Cassie described them in the first half of the book. I'm excited to see them brought to live in theaters. 

My soul purpose of starting this book was because the movie was coming to theaters this month. The trailer looked amazing and grabbed my attention instantly!! I knew I just had to read the book before seeing the movie, and this book certainly didn't disappoint. I loved every second of it!! Book two, The Infinite Sea, is already next on my to read list. I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment.  The multiple POV's throughout the book was a major plus for me. It was nice not being stuck following one character around for 457 pages. Sometimes that can get a bit boring, so it was nice switching it up every now and then with a new character. In order to experiencing what they were going through during the 4th Wave. You got to experience Cassie trying to survive in order to save her brother Sammy, as well as Ben struggling to survive boot camp. We even got a little bit of Sammy and Evan's POV's throughout the book!! I am definitely crossing my fingers for more of Evan's POV in book two, he had to be my favorite character in book one; followed closely by Cassie!! ;) 

“I had it all wrong," he says. "Before I found you, I thought the only way to hold on was to find something to live for. It isn't. To hold on, you have to find something you're willing to die for." 

Team Cassie and Evan all the way! I loved reading their scenes even though they were short. I enjoyed reading how their relationship developed and discovering Evan's secrets!! I had a feeling he was one of the Others from the moment he was introduced. They had such cute moments, reading the book only made me more excited for the movie and to see his character develop on the big screen. And to see Cassie and Evan's relationship, that is something I cannot wait for!

However, now that Ben and Cassie are together at the end of book one, I am interested to see where their friendship may whined up. I have a feeling something may develop between them in the second book, and yet I may be wrong. I crossing my fingers for a relationship to develop between Ringer and Ben, they had a strong bond towards the end of book one. 

This is definitely a book to read!! Rick Yancey has done an amazing job developing a world where aliens invade the planet and humans are helpless to do anything, except for a small group of kids ready to fight back to save their home. 

Published by: K 

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre:  Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Length:  404 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Review:

Rating:

Happy New Year Everyone!! 

First book to be finished and reviewed in 2016 and it turns out to be one of my favorites. It is definitely ending up in my favorite section of my bookshelf. :D Loved every moment of this book, really wish I could have sat and read it all in one sitting but with work and the holidays that sadly did not happen, which made it difficult to stay in the action with the characters. Even so this was an amazing book and I cannot wait to read book two.

“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” 

Celaena Sardothien is an assassin recruited by the Crown Prince, Dorian, to fight in the battles to become the King's Champion. Like the cover says it is a mix of The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones, which is what really drew me to the story. Then I got to meet Sarah J. Maas at YallFest a couple years ago and that only increased my interest in the book. The story is set in an era of kings and queens, and criminals are set to fight for the title of Champion. But that's not the only danger hiding in the castle, these contestants are being killed one by one by a monster roaming the castle. 

Sarah J. Maas really brought this word to live in her characters and the settings. Overtime she described a room or an event I felt like I was really their with the characters. She did an amazing job describing the characters and developing different personalities for each, which is a hard task to pull off sometimes. 

This was a gripping story from page one where we meet the firecracker assassin Celaena in Endovier has a slave in the coal mines. She is swept away from that life by two men, Crown Prince, Dorian, and Captain of the Guard, Chaol. Both every charming guys!! But I was Team Chaol from the very beginning. I loved the witting banter between them. Can't wait to see where their relationship ends up in the next book. Now don't get me wrong Dorian is pretty great too! 

While Celaena is training to become the King's Champion, a monster is let loose in the castle, which adds a great twist of mystery to an already amazing book. We get to learn about the ancient Wyrdmarks, symbols used for powerful magic. We also come to learn that magic has been erased from the kingdom. Or has it? 

There were so many twists and turns throughout this book it had me constantly hooked. I didn't want to put it down. I would find myself reading pages at work just so I could see what was going to happen to Celaena next. This is definitely going to be a promising series. Ready to start reading book two right after I read The 5th Wave!

This is a must read of 2016!! 

Published by: K

CHRISTMAS BOOK HAUL!!! :D

Merry Christmas Everyone!! Hope you all had a great day yesterday and got everything y'all asked for this Christmas!! We made out like bandits this year when it came to books. Not only did we open several books Christmas morning we also made a couple of Black Friday purchases that we saved for this EPIC book haul!!

Let's get to these new books we get to squeeze onto our ever expanding bookshelves!! LOL...we definitely need to invest in another shelf for all of our books, we are running out of room.

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My Christmas Book Haul:

Six of Crows by: Leigh Bardugo

Glass Sword by: Victoria Aveyard

Return to the Isle of the Lost by:

 Melissa de la Cruz

See Me by: Nicholas Sparks

The Infinite Sea by: Rick Yancey

Christmas Gift From Mia at M&EM Read:

Flirting with Boys by: Hailey Abbott

Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by: Kimberly Karalius

Six Impossible Things by: Fiona Wood

Dream Things True by: Marie Marquardt

Fates by: Lanie Bross

Thanks so much Mia....can't wait to read these amazing books you sent me!! 

(To Follow Their Amazing Blog Click here.....M&EM Read)

Chloe's Christmas Book Haul:

Confessions the Murder of an Angel by: James Patterson

The Last Olympian by: Rick Riordan

The Chronicles of Nick: Infinity by: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Splintered by: A.J. Howard

Black Widow Forever Red by: Margaret Stohl

Girl Online On Tour by: Zoe Sugg

Now this second half of books are technically books we purchased for ourselves on Black Friday!! And with all the sales going on out there we went a little book crazy! :D

Books-a-Million Purchases:

The Young Elite by: Marie Lu

The 5th Wave by: Rick Yancey

Book Outlet Purchases:

Crash by: Lisa McMann

Perfect Ruin by: Lauren DeStefano

Burning Kingdoms by: Lauren DeStefano

Unremembered by: Jessica Brody

Unforgotten by: Jessica Brody

Unchanged by: Jessica Brody

Black Ice by: Becca Fitzpatrick

My True Love Gave to Me (Short Stories)

Don't Stay Up Late by: R.L. Stine

What books did y'all get for the holiday? 

Published by: K